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NO ‘mysterious’ deposits to your bank accounts – Borrowing money for a down payment to buy a home is an absolute ‘no-no’ in the world of mortgage lending. If there is a chance you may not have enough for the … Continue reading
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Principle and Interest The first item on your house note will be the Principle and Interest (P&I) calculation based on the original amount of your loan. Using a good Mortgage Calculator, simply plug in the current interest rate and the … Continue reading
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When Negotiating a Home Sale – Should you always start with a really low bid? Well, that depends… How much do you care whether or not you get this particular home? The most successful sales are WIN-Win. The buyer gets the home … Continue reading
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When planning to buy a home, most people save for their down payment, but give little or no thought to closing costs. . . or if a first time homebuyer, may not know what closing costs are. Closing costs are … Continue reading
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When you see a ‘for sale’ sign, are you tempted to call the agent? …Try to negotiate price and terms with the very person hired by the seller to represent the seller? Come on… You’re smarter than that!! What about … Continue reading
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If you listen to the news even once in awhile, you’ve probably heard a commentator make reference to interest rates… and how they are helping to stimulate the economy. If the whole topic about interest rates makes you yawn, wake up!! You … Continue reading
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Here’s what is so sneaky about FEMA’s methods. If you are one of the millions of people whose flood premium is escrowed and paid by your mortgage company, you probably ignore stuff from FEMA. Right? Your mortgage company will handle … Continue reading
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As you’ve probably seen by now, there are beautiful homes in every price range. Right? And with so many homes coming on the market every month, how can you possibly choose? Well, the answer is, take it in logical steps. … Continue reading
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Tradition runs deep in Covington, co-existing alongside innovation and progress and a love of the arts. Covington enjoys a community of the arts, from painting to acting, sewing to singing. If you consider yourself an artist, Covington is the place … Continue reading
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Located in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana is the city of Mandeville, LA. It is on the northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and across the lake from New Orleans and is part of the New Orleans suburbs. Being a part of the … Continue reading
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Nestled right next door to Covington, Abita Springs is a picturesque town known for its historic district and its refreshing spring water. Abita Springs has that small town atmosphere everyone who lives in the big city craves. Originally, Abita Springs … Continue reading
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For the first time homebuyer, the transition from tenant to homeowner might feel perfectly natural… like a duck to water. But for others, it’s a bit more of an adjustment… Especially the financial implications. With today’s low interest rates, it’s … Continue reading
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This has nothing to do with real estate, but it does have to do with customer service. This afternoon I went to my nearby home improvement store to get a new water filter for my fridge. After I walked around … Continue reading
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Do you let buyers bully you and waste your time? I recently had a listing with a quick-sale price tag of only $449,000. The home was a 4 yr old Fr Colonial with 10’ ceilings, 5-BR/4-Ba in a gated waterfront … Continue reading
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NO Money? NO Credit? . . . .NO Problem! Rent to Own . . . . Lease Purchase . . . . Owner Finance . . . . First of all, if the first line sounds a bit dumb, … Continue reading
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Buying a Home . . .And Why You Should be Working with an ‘ABR’ Whether you are a first time homebuyer, or it’s been quite a few years since you bought your current home, buying a home may seem quite daunting. Well, sit … Continue reading
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… and Credit Reports Quite often people may know their credit isn’t ‘stellar’, but when thinking about buying a home, they would like to know ahead of time just how bad (or good) it is. . . and often to their surprise, they … Continue reading
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I’ve had the privilege to work with some wonderful clients. Included are letters from just a few of them. . . . . It was a bumpy road, but so worth it!! My husband and I had been trying to … Continue reading
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SELLING A HOME? . . . .WHAT EVERY HOME SELLER NEEDS TO KNOW Have you noticed how many ‘For Sale’ signs there are today? Does it seem like some just don’t sell as fast as others? Well, you are right. Selling … Continue reading
What is an FHA loan? The word ‘loan’ is a bit of a misnomer, since Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are not loans at all. What the FHA does is insure loans so that lenders can offer mortgage assistance to … Continue reading
Reprint from The Mortgage Professors Website, April 19, 2004, Revised November 28, 2006, October 2, 2007, Reviewed April 10, 2011 — © 2011 Mortgage Professor The cost of using funds in a 401K as down payment should be compared with … Continue reading
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The LA Real Estate Commission requires that when a real estate agent meets you for the first time, face to face – and before showing you homes, discussing financing, or anything other than simply answering questions – that we provide you … Continue reading
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“If I’m not buying a repo or a ‘short sale’, why do I have to be pre-approved?” The answer to this will quickly become obvious once you understand what it means to be a seller in today’s market. In fact, … Continue reading
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OK….this is it. 2012. The year everyone says we will see more repos and ‘short sales’ than in 2010 or 2011. As bad as that sounds, it’s a huge opportunity for buyers. Unfortunately there are so many buyers who are … Continue reading
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Could this Really Influence How You will Choose Your New Home? Are you predominately a ‘LEFT Brain’ or a ‘RIGHT Brain’ person? Believe it or not, which one you are, can influence how you choose your next home. The LEFT … Continue reading
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In this market, agents are quite often asked which is better… An FHA 203k or a Fannie Mae Homepath loan? The following is a reprint from a blog by Justin McHood who works for Academy Mortgage and is based in … Continue reading
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